Coupling-release mechanism



J. F. OCONNOR. COUPLING RELEASE MECHANISMr APPLICATION FILED OCT-4, 1920.

W lli Patented Aug. 9, 19211..

UNHTED STATES 7 JOHN F. OCONNOR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM H. MINE-B, 0F

CHAZY, NEW YORK.

COUPLING-RELEASE MECHANISM.

Application filed October 4, 1920.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. OCoNNon, a citizen of United States, residing at Chica o, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in (loupling Release Mechanisms, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact descrlption, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this speclfication.

This invention relates to improvements in coupler release mechanisms.

The object of the invention is to provide an exceedingly simple and inexpensive connector adapted to be employed between the usual coupler release lever and usual coupler locking pin.

In the drawing forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is an elevational view of the end portion of a car showing a coupler, release lever and my improved connector employed therewith. Fig. 2 is an elevational view looking toward the end of the car and illustrating more particularly the improved connector. And Fig. 3 is a detail perspective of the connector detached.

In said drawing, an automatic coupler of standard form is shown at 10, the same having the usual locking pin 11 provided with an eye or opening 12 at the top thereof as customary. The drawbar is slidably mounted between draft sills 13 and Supported by a detachable saddle plate 14. A channel end sill is indicated at 15 and the coupler re lease lever is shown at 16, the same having an operating handle 17 and an arm 18 extended over the coupler at the center of the car, said arm having an eye or opening 19 at the outer end thereof in the usual man ner. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the release lever may be of any desired form and will usually be detachably supported on the end of the car and of course operable from the side of the car. All of the parts above described may be of usual or desired form.

In carrying out my invention, the connector is formed by two elements A and B. The element A is of U formation having a horizontally extending bottom section 20 adapted to be passed through the eye 19 and side arms 2121.

The other element B is also of substan- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 9, 1221.

Serial No. 414,661.

tially U formation having a horizontally extending bottom section 22, adapted to be extended through the eye 12, and having upwardly somewhat diverging side arms 2323. The side arms 23 are made of such length that the upper ends thereof are normally disposed above the eye of the releaselever. The ends of said arms 23 are bent so as to provide inwardly and oppositely extended hooks as indicated at 2 1 within. which are adapted to be received the arms 21 of the element A, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3. The hooks 24% extend horizontally and are normally located above the horizontal section 20 of the member A a distance corresponding to the desired amount of vertical lost motion between the two elements to compensate for the inward and outward movements of the drawbar with respect to the car.

The elements A and B are made preferably of round rod or bar material and of such a diameter that they may have the corners or bends therein passed through the eyes or openings 12 and 19. In assembling the device, the member B is properly threaded through the eye of the locking pin and the member A. threaded through the eye of the release lever while the latter is detached from its bearing supports. With the lever detached, it is obvious that the arms of the element A may be properly inserted through the hooks 2 1 of the element B and, after the release lever is secured in its operative position, the two elements cannot become separated or detached.

The connector herein shown and described can obviously be manufactured at a very small expense, and applied with a minimum of labor without the use of any special tools. The necessary lost motions to compensate for inward and outward movements of the drawba-r and lateral movements of the drawbar are also provided for as will be obvious.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out the invention but the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a coupler release mechanism having a manually operable member provided with an opening therein and a locking pin provided also with an opening therein; a connector comprisingtwo elements each of generally U form, one element being adapted to be centrally supported in upright position within the opening of said member and the other element being adapted to be centrally supported in an upright position within the opening of the locking pin, one of said elements having the ends of its arms hookshaped and extended around the arms of the other element.

2. A connector for coupler release mechanisms adapted to be used between a manually operable member having an opening and a locking pin having an opening, said connector comprising two elements, one ele ment having a section thereof adapted to be loosely supported in the opening of said member and an upstanding arm at one side,

thereof, the other element having a section adapted to be loosely supported in the opening of the locking pin and provided with an upstanding arm at one side thereof, said last named arm havinga hook at the upper end thereof within which i is vertically loosely received the arm of said first name element. 7 I r 3. A connector for coupler release mechanisms adapted to be used between a manually operable release lever having an eye and a locking pin having an eye, said connector comprising two elements, one element being of substantially U shape and adapted to be supported in a vertical position inthe eye of the release lever, the other element being also of substantially U shape and. adapted to be supportedin an upright position in the eye of the locking pin, said last named element having the upper ends of the arms thereof hook-shaped and within which are received the arms of the first named element.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 18th day of Sept, 1920- 4 JOHN F. OCONNOR. Witness: 7 l I CARRIE GAILING. 

